Sourav Ganguly advices Virat Kohli; speaks about changes made in Team India

The former Indian captain spoke about how players need to be given a longer rope in order to be successful.

Virat Kohli does not believe in personal milestones. He keeps stressing on what will influence the team and how the team should always be ahead of individual goals. He also believes in horses for courses and this was the main reason why he fielded different playing XIs in his first 38 matches as Test skipper. However, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has a different view and believes that Kohli should give players a longer rope to settle into a role.

"I would say that this is one area where Virat needs to just be a bit more consistent," Ganguly said at an event in Mumbai on Friday.

'Give them more consistent opportunties'

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"Pick players and give them a bit more consistent opportunities - for them to get that confidence, rhythm, I have said that before. You saw how Shreyas Iyer played in that ODI series. You pick him and you give him the freedom to play those matches and I think that needs to happen with a lot of players and I am sure Virat will do that," Ganguly further added.

Kohli has been mixing and matching his personnel in the different Tests, with injuries too having forced his hand in several matches. However, the management, led by Kohli. is not too shy of making outlandish calls. In the ongoing Test match, Ganguly said he was surprised to see Kuldeep Yadav being left out. Although, Jadeja did vindicate the decision by scoring a superb half-century in the first innings.

"I was also surprised to see Kuldeep Yadav left out," Ganguly said. "The last Test he played against Australia, he got five wickets, if you remember in Sydney on a good flat pitch, he picked up five wickets against Australia. But Jadeja also has been in good form, the surface yesterday at Antigua needed three fast bowlers," Ganguly assessed.

Ravindra JadejaIANS

Speaking about the exclusion of R Ashwin from the side, despite his stellar record in West Indies, Ganguly said that it was purely the call of the captain and now people would have to wait and see how Jadeja bowls on the surface which will have a variable bounce on offer.

He, however, was quick to add that such is the competition in the Indian side that such calls have to be taken to maintain the balance of the side.